


strong and stable

by nevermindthewind



Category: How to Get Away with Murder
Genre: AU, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, I refuse to believe Wes is dead, Light Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-02
Updated: 2017-05-02
Packaged: 2018-10-26 23:18:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10796844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nevermindthewind/pseuds/nevermindthewind
Summary: “Where is she?”Wes looked from Michaela, to Oliver, to Bonnie, but none of them would look him in the eye.





	strong and stable

**Author's Note:**

> Basically what would've happened if it hadn't been Wes under the sheet.
> 
> Again this is early work and I'm sure I missed some editing things, hopefully nothing too distracting. :)

“Where is she?”

Wes looked from Michaela, to Oliver, to Bonnie, but none of them would look him in the eye. “Goddamn it where is she? I need to see her!” His eyes darted around the waiting room, looking for someone to give him answers, running his hands through his hair. 

“She’s in surgery, that’s all we know” Michaela said, tears filling her eyes as she watched Wes begin to pace back and forth. “Meggy said she’d update us when they knew more. They had to stop and take a different approach because...because of the baby”.

Wes stopped dead in his tracks. “Baby?” He turned. “Laurel’s pregnant?” He looked up at Michaela, who nodded tearfully. Wes opened his mouth to speak again, but he suddenly lost the ability to form words. So instead, he went back to pacing.

They waited for what felt like years. Wes practically wore a rut into the hospital floor while the others sat in silence, Bonnie occasionally getting up to take phone calls. Then suddenly, the double doors leading to the surgery wing opened. 

“Wes?”

Everyone looked up to see Meggy, who was clearly exhausted. Again Wes stopped abruptly, while the rest of the group stood to face her. 

“She’s going to be fine. She has some pretty significant burns on her right side and leg and she inhaled a lot of smoke but she’ll be fine.”

Michaela let out a small sob and fell back into her chair. Asher sat next to her, rubbing her back. Oliver broke into a huge grin and turned to face Connor, who was clearly still in shock, while Bonnie immediately picked up her phone. Wes just looked at her, unable to register that his girlfriend was truly going to be okay.

“She’s okay?” Apparently he’d remembered how to form words again.

Meggy nodded.

“And the baby?” he asked.

“Heartbeat is strong and stable,” Meggy smiled. 

“Thank God” Wes said, letting out the breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. “Can I see her?”

“She’s still asleep from the anesthesia, but yeah, come with me.”

Wes ran his hand through his hair, suddenly overcome with nerves, as he followed Meggy through the double doors and down the hall. They walked in silence for about a minute , before Meggie stopped outside Laurel’s room. She turned to face Wes and took a deep breath. “Just so you know, Laurel is still hooked up to a lot of machines. It's temporary, so don't worry. But it might be a bit, uh, hard to see her like this,” Meggy looked up at Wes. “You ready?” she asked. 

Wes wanted to say yes, but as he opened his mouth to speak the weight of everything that had happened in the last twelve hours suddenly hit him like a ton of bricks: the fight, the fire, the baby, all while the love of his life was fighting for her own. Add on the fact that he never got to tell Laurel that he loved her too, and it was all just too much. He finally felt like his life was on the right path and, dare he say it, he was starting to feel genuinely happy. After everything he and Laurel had been through, they were finally on a precipice, turning a new page when- 

“You in there?” Meggy said gently. 

Wes nodded, his brain coming back to reality. 

“You’ll feel better once you see her. And she’ll feel better seeing you when she wakes up.”

Again Wes nodded, finally gathering the courage to open the door and step into the hospital room. 

\--

Laurel was cozy. The log cabin she was in had giant, comfy couches and a beautiful fireplace that was crackling with heat. Next to her on one of the couches was Wes reading to her aloud, one arm protectively around Laurel’s shoulders. Laurel herself was curled into him, her legs draped over his lap. This, Laurel thought, is paradise. 

Then suddenly the flames in the fire erupted. They seemed to grow right out of the fireplace, the flames moving closer to the couple by the second. Laurel tried throwing her water on them but it seemed to have the opposite effect; rather than diminishing the flames, they seemed to grow and be aiming their heat and power towards her. Laurel looked to Wes but he was nowhere to be seen. “Wes? WES?” She called, the panic rising in her voice. But he was gone. 

There was nothing she could do, the fire was getting closer and closer. Suddenly she felt it, as white hot pain seared across her side. She tried to call out again, but every time she inhaled smoke filled her lungs and she couldn't breathe. 

“Laurel? Laurel?!” Wes was calling her name, but it sounded distant, as if he was miles away. How did he not notice the flames? How did he escape? 

“Laurel can you hear me? Can you open your eyes?”

Laurel didn't understand, her eyes were open! How could Wes be worried about that when the fire was so close!? She tried to call back to him but the smoke was too much, maybe she should just close her eyes…

Suddenly she felt someone take her hand. She blinked rapidly as she looked up, not at a wooden ceiling, but at a blurry face in a hospital room. She tried to sit up but the pain was still there, piercing her side. 

“You're okay. Laurel, you're in the hospital but you're okay. I'm right here,” Wes gently guided her back down, a look of simultaneous relief and worry on his face. As Laurel continued to gain consciousness the pain became more intense. Her side felt like it was being ripped apart while her lungs burned, making every breath agony. She gripped Wes’ hand so hard his hand felt like it might fall off. But Wes didn't flinch. “I’ve got you,” he said, rubbing his thumb in lazy circles around her hand. “That hasn't changed”. Laurel tried to smile, but through the pain it looked more like a grimace. 

“I know,” she whispered, her voice still hoarse. “Wes I -” she wanted to apologize, for Frank, the fight, everything, but what with the pain and lack of clear lungs she couldn’t form the words. 

Wes must’ve seen it in her eyes, because right before she could try again, he smiled and said, “Don’t worry about it. Please. It doesn't matter. And also?” Wes gently kissed Laurel’s forehead. “I love you, too. So much”.

Laurel squeezed Wes’ hand, this time not out of pain, but as a way to try and convey everything she couldn't say.

Right at that moment a nurse came in to check Laurel’s monitors. Upon seeing her awake and clearly in pain the nurse handed Laurel a remote with a green button. 

“When it lights up, you can press it and it will administer pain meds,” she explained. Laurel immediately pressed the button, a look of relief washing over her face. “And don't worry, you're on a medication that is safe for pregnancy,” the nurse added. 

“What?” Laurel croaked, her eyes widening as she looked from the nurse to Wes. Wes glared at the nurse, who, when she realized what she had done, looked mortified. 

“I hadn’t gotten to that part yet,” Wes said slowly, looking pointedly at the nurse. She promptly left the room, muttering something about checking her vitals another time. Wes turned to Laurel and exhaled, “But, um, yeah, you're pregnant”. 

Laurel sank back against her pillows, a look of pure shock on her face. As the pain started to dissipate a million thoughts ran through her head as she tried to comprehend what was happening. There was a moment of panic when the condom ripped, sure, but it had been overshadowed by the bliss that was their new relationship. Now there was a baby, her and Wes’ baby. If it had been anyone else’s, Laurel wouldn't have thought twice about an abortion. She wanted a career and a life before kids. Hell, she wasn’t sure if she ever wanted kids. But this wasn't just anyone, it was Wes. And that made all the difference. 

Laurel began to panic. But what about the fire? Did it hurt the baby? They wouldn't have put her on pregnancy-safe mess if it wasn't alive and ok, right? She tried to sit up again, then immediately regretted it, the pain not fully diluted by the medication. She inhaled sharply then let out a groan of frustration and pain, her eyebrows furrowing. Instinctively Laurel clutched Wes’ arm and again he slowly guided her back down to her pillows. 

“What are you thinking?” Wes asked gently, tucking a flyaway piece of hair behind Laurel’s ear.

Laurel looked up, a worried look on her face. “Is it okay?” she asked quietly. 

Wes smiled, “Heartbeat’s strong and stable”.


End file.
